Category: allotments

We have always planned on getting a large polytunnel. http://growblogs.com/polytunnel-2/

The construction of our first polytunnel was a fun project and was helped along by some great weather.

Preparation

Before we had even ordered the polytunnel we dug over the ground underneath where our polytunnel was to sit. We took out as many weeds as possible, much like if we were planting directly into the soil. This area is riddled with mares tail so the weeds removed were dried and burned. We then covered the area in a thick black plastic, to prevent sunlight reaching the ground.

We were talking to a fellow plot holder whose polytunnel skin took of like a kite and ended up damaging some closed by roof tiles. Our plot is close to a set of railway tracks, and safety is utmost. Conor can often be found waving at trains while enjoying his black coffee. I decided to build a fence next to the polytunnel, to provide some additional support.

Polytunnel Construction

The frame went up relatively easily. Our skill sets complemented each other well on this task. Our love of music lead to some strange looks from the neighbors, but on the whole, a good day was had.

With the exact area of growing space now visible, 18 square meters. Strong and highly recommended weed proof membrane was purchased and placed on top of the ground. Growing directly into the ground is not an option due to the annoyance of mares (horsetail. So raised beds on top of a strong weed suppressant it is. This definitely adds to the costs, with additional materials and soil to fill the beds being required.

It’s always best to skin your polytunnels on a calm day, in fact, it’s almost impossible to do it in strong winds. It is also better to do it with a few spare hands floating about. But it is possible to do it alone as I managed if you’re smart about it. Initially digging a trench and covering the skirt with soil was the plan. But on the day it seemed something more substantial was required. The decking was initially used to hold the skin down and stop the wind from making it flap. I decided to skirt the edge of the polytunnel. with the decking to add weight and help hold the skin down.

This also seemed to allow the corners to sit well over the frame. The front door of the polytunnel is one large zippable flap. At the minute I secure it by tucking under the frame and applying weight with a pallet. It is definitely something I have been thinking about and something I might have just cracked this very evening.

After a few days of tweaks and fixes and retrenching one of the corners I am finally happy with the way it turned out.

Polytunnel FitOut

Having already blown the allotment for this year on the polytunnel, the fit out needed to be thrifty. The hoarders in us last year salvaged some fencing and we had some timbers left over from Conor’s new decking at his home. If we use them a couple of seasons then they owe us nothing.

I’ve never used grow bags before, but as our local DIY store was running low on decently priced MPC I thought I would give them a go.

In preparation for the polytunnel completion, we started a crop of tomatoes, chilies, and peppers. Also with the added benefits of extra heat, light, and space. We will soon be enjoying some new variety to the plot including, okra, and cape gooseberry.

Being new to polytunnel gardening, I haven’t got much advice to give. except that if you’re planning to work inside your polytunnel and the sun is shining? Shorts, sun cream and water are a must.

Please send us tips and photos of how you have laid out your polytunnels? And lettuce know what you are growing in yours.

Zombie Allotment Survival – 5 Essential Seeds

So you flick on the television and every channel the same. Zombies Allotment Survival is on. But your prepared and have already built a walled perimeter even Trump himself would be proud of. You have enough water and growing space and 2 months worth of supplies. Unfortunately, you only have the choice of 5 fruit or vegetables to grow. That’s the rules. Zombies are coming. What 5 Essential seeds would you choose?

Here is the top 5 essential seeds I would choose, for the climate I live within here in Belfast.

1 Oriental Greens

Oriental Greens such as the ones we have grown in the past, including pak choi, choy sum and tat soi. What’s great about these greens is that they can be grown all year round. They are also great for growing in confined spaces. In UK conditions, best sown in Autumn and late Spring. Asian/Oriental Greens are great sources of Vitamin A, C, E B vitamins. They are also a great source of fiber, iron, calcium and potassium. With the zombie population still at large, these veg are quick cropping and tasty. They also come often in mixed seed packs. Full of variety and textures to keep you fed and nourished.

Pak Choi, Potatoes Strawberries Broccoli and Kale

2. Beans

Thrust into a time, when you have been forced vegetarian. You take solace in the fact that contained in your seed box is a pack of mixed beans. Whether broad, split, kidney, or soy. Beans are an excellent source of protein, with Soybeans coming in at 16.6g of protein per 100g. Also containing metals such as potassium, magnesium, zinc and are a source of antioxidants. Climbing beans are great on saving space. They also are great for storing and drying to reuse the seed for continuous planting. Beans can be sown after the last frosts and will fruit until September. Some of the hardier Beans can be overwintered e.g. aqua dulce Claudia Broad Bean.

Thrust into a time, when you have been forced vegetarian. You take solace in the fact that contained in your seed box is a pack of mixed beans. Whether broad, split, kidney, or soy. Beans are an excellent source of protein, with Soybeans coming in at 16.6g of protein per 100g. Also containing metals such as potassium, magnesium, zinc and are a source of antioxidants. Climbing beans are great on saving space. They also are great for storing and drying to reuse the seed for continuous planting. Beans can be sown after the last frosts and will fruit until September. Some of the hardier Beans can be overwintered e.g. aqua dulce Claudia Broad Bean.

3 – Kale

Kale is not only a hipsters best friend, it may help preserve your life until rescued. It is widely regarded as a tough plant and will gladly keep you fed and company during the long winter. Kale comes in two forms, Kale and Curly for obvious reasons. Varieties include Nero di Toscana, purple scarlet, dinosaur etc. Kale is very low in calories while remaining high in fiber. Low in calories is that a good thing? Well yes because hunger and boredom will soon set in. Kale can be grown after the last frost up until the early summer. Plus everyone knows zombies hate kale.

Curly kale

4 – Berries

Berries are well known for being superfoods and also amazing tasting. Being well know sources of Vitamin B as well as antioxidants. They are packed with fiber and great for your digestive system. Either juiced, jammed or eaten straight from the bush, they are a great boost to mind, body, and soul. Straw, blue, black and raspberries are all Uk and Irish favorites and a great sign of good weather. All berries are sun lovers but with so many different varieties liking different varieties. Especially blueberries who appreciate an acidic soil.

Strawberries

5 – Potatoes

This one is a no-brainer, like much of the population by now. Not only are they versatile and great tasting. But is there really much point is you haven’t got the option of spuds for tea. Baby, Boiled, Roasted or mashed they are little bundles of joy that might just get you through this ordeal. Potatoes are great for storing through winter and high in carbohydrates. Planted around Mid March, a succession of first, second and main crops will keep you well spirited and full of energy.

SpudsPurdys

With a continuous supply of veg to keep you healthy and fed throughout the year. Zombie groans ever present at the boundary wall. Its sit back and try to refrain from talking to your veg, all day.

We would love to hear what 5 fruit or vegetables will you grow when they come???

Success/Failures 2016

A look back over our success/failures on our allotment in 2016. Having good success in the garden is what keeps us interested. Fueling our desires to return each year to expand and improve. Failure is the catalyst that makes us more determined, to work harder and smarter. Each growing season is unique. So here we are going to show you our 3 greatest successes and failures of 2016.

Successes

The first big success and new key part of our plot, is the new greenhouse. Last year we used it to grow crops, as we were behind schedule on construction. But next season it will be mainly used for seed germination, and early 2017 we will be constructing shelving and a seed sowing area. Check out our previous posts, about how we constructed the greenhouse from, base construction to glazing. Garden Structure/Greenhouse Base &#8211; How to do it yourself DIY Greenhouse Construction, Proper Job !

Next years seed house

Our second big success of the year I would say is our blog. While we are not snowed under with subscribers, we have been working hard to improve the content of our posts. We also try and deliver content, that people want to see and will find useful. We have also been learning the tech skills to make the blog more available to people that might find it interesting. While at the same time meeting and making friends some very helpful and informative individuals through social media. http://www.facebook.com/growblogs http://www.twitter.com/growblogs

Our third big success of the year would have to be some of the wonderful crops and produce that we have been producing throughout the year. 2016 has very much been a year of firsts. Some crops we were growing for the first time, with great success. Out top 3 new vegetables that we grew this year were Kohlrabi Kohlrabi &#038; Kohlrabi coleslaw recipe , Sweet romano Peppers and White Cauliflower.
White Cauliflower

These three are all great tasting and versatile crops.

The cauliflower could have ended up on either success/failures list. After an absence from the plot for a fortnight. I was pleasantly surprised to see that, the critters has left me the biggest and best-looking cauliflower on the plot. Another veg to cross off my ever decreasing, to grow and eat list.

When it comes to success and failures,no matter what there is much to be learned. We at growblogs had a motto even before we seen our plot for the first time. To learn from doing, and learn from our success/failures. Getting stuck in and having a go is wild craic. If it all goes wrong ? Sure you can try again next year.

Failures

Outsmarting the critters. Once again we waged war on every manner of beast, all shapes and size, determined to devour our crops. We built, protective nets, cages and kept a strict bug picking diary. But yet the came, and they ate and what they didnt eat they pooped on.

Damm Caterpillars

Basically, it took us much longer to build the greenhouse than it should. I bought the greenhouse frame in a water damaged sale. The greenhouse frame itself is obviously waterproof, that’s why I bought it. I’m smart like that. The instructions for the greenhouse frame, however, were not waterproof and had disintegrated. The crops we had been growing, for eventual transport into the greenhouse, were growing bigger and bigger and starting to fruit by the time they were ready to move. Whilst it was a relief to get the plants out of my cramped flat, they took a bit of a battering and some had to be shortened for transport. Some of these plants, mainly the tomato plants never fully recovered.

Tomatoes “Gardeners delight”

Disease. This will probably be on our list every year. Early in the summer conditions were perfect for blight, and we link all the plots on our allotment, suffered. Our potato crops held up pretty well, but we lost all of our outdoor tomatoes and peppers. Some signs did show inside the greenhouse but we were quick to remove those infected plants to stem spreading the blight. Later nearing the end of summer our cucurbits suffered badly from an attack of powdery mildew. This while didn’t massively affect the produce that was well established and producing. But with the early destruction of the leaves it certainly stunted growth, and shortened the season.

Fall is a wonderful time of year, with the trees turning every shade of orange, brown and reds. The days are rapidly shortening, and finding time to work at the allotment with adequate daylight is rapidly declining. With the arrival of the Fall, often due to the changes in the weather, much less time is needed to tend to the diminishing crops. I like to use the spare time to maintain my builds, work on future projects and tend to and feed my various compost bins. When up keeping an allotment this time of year, it is important to use your time away from the plot, planning ahead and gather resources when and where it is possible, so that you can make the most of your time on the plot.

While the term fall is now more associated as the American term for Autumn, it originated in England. The term fall, is short for the falling of the leaves, which happens annually at this time of year. This year we are making a concerned effort to store as much of these fallen leaves as possible as, when composted turn to leaf mould, which is the perfect ingredient to use as mulch. Builders sacks are perfect for storing leaves long enough to turn to mulch, and can often be obtained by asking a friendly builder or builders merchants. Last year one of biggest expenditures was the buying in of good quality compost and mulch, and with it being one of the few things used for gardening that you can make yourself, it was utmost that we master this skill pronto.

Pumpkin bed ready for winter.

With the last of our crop of miniature “Jack be Little” pumpkins harvested in time for Halloween, it meant that we could finally clear the bed and burn the discarded plants as they were suffering from powdery mildew. Once all the weeds and green materials are removed from the bed, I gave it a quick turn over and covered the bed with a thick polythene sheet, and weighed down to stop them taking off in the winter winds.

I then used the rest of the polythene to line the water tank that I recently salvaged from work, making sure to pierce the bottom of the liner multiple times to allow for suitable drainage. I intend to grow carrots and parsnips in this container next year, due to the depth it holds. Therefor I will eventually fill the container with a sandy loam mix, which will allow the root vegetables to grow long and straight.

The sole survivors left in the greenhouse and continuing to provide me with sweet, and great tasting produce are the long sweet peppers. With the last of the tomatoes making no attempt to ripen I decided to clear them out of the greenhouse and chopped them up into small pieces and added to my increasing compost pile. I did a bit of a clear out of my filing systems back home and shredded the lot as the compost heaps needed a topping up of brown material, after the recent influx of green waste. When the greenhouse is completely clear we are going to secure the frame firmly to the greenhouse base, in preparation for winter. This will also give me a chance to start designing and planning the layout for turning the greenhouse into a potting shed/ greenhouse.

We at Growblogs love our booze (in moderation, most of the time), and from the very start one of our main goals was to grow and produce our own booze. Ive always fancied the idea of homebrew, experimenting with flavours and techniques to make different wines, ciders and ales, so when I start a new project, I do what I always do and buy a good book and start reading. I already collect the River Cottage Handbook series, so the addition of the booze edition was a must. It is written by John Wright, who you will probably know from the River Cottage Series, as the foraging guy who makes booze from things he finds in hedges, and Hughs rosey red cheeked drinking buddy. They always seem to be sloshed and having a laugh so I know I will be getting good advice.

With an ample supply of free apples this time of year, we decided to start by making cider. I purchased a home brewing kit with all the accessories needed as well as a couple of demi-Johns to store the cider in. I organised and collected some crab apples from my parents garden. Then when I sat down to read the process, I stumbled at the first block with the lack of an apple press. After a quick google I soon realised that a decent cheap one would cost around £70 and would take 2 weeks to deliver. I did not want to be spending that sort of money on something that would get used so little, so after more googling, I found that making my own was the way to go. Our booze filled plans are back on track.

An apple press is a machine used to separate the juice from the rest of the fruit through the exertion of pressure on apple pulp. There are many different variations of this design online, I decided to use a bottle jack because I had one in the shed and barely used it.

The buckets that we purchased are known as plasterers buckets, they are tougher than normal buckets and hold a much larger quantity. We drilled holes in the bucket to allow the juiced to drop down into the vessel below. We recommend using a wood drill bit when boring holes in plastic as it is less likely to crack the bucket and lives a nice round clean hole.

The timber frame needs to be strong, we used 3” x 1 ½ “ rough timber, and bolted and screwed the pieces together to make sure that it will take the pressure of the 1 ton jack.

There are much more detailed plans to make something similar to this online if your not the most DIY minded, but I think its pretty straight forward. Hopefully this weekend will provide us with good weather and the opportunity to test it out.

There’s no doubt about it there’s a nip in the air, and the media are scaring us with tales that the winter could be much worse than 2010. This means only one thing, time to tuck the plot in for the winter while trying to make it a haven for our wild animals this winter. That snug feeling of being tucked up in your superman onesie in front of an open fire (chestnuts roasting ob.), can feel even more content knowing you have done your bit for winter wildlife. If your cold and hungry imaging how that little robin at the end of your garden feels.

There are many activities you can undertake from the very simplest through to some that will take time and some expense. One of the simplest and most rewarding you can do is simply put feed out for birds. Whether you keep leftover bits of fat from bacon rinds, bread crumbs or go to the expense of purchasing seeds or mealworms you will greatly help out our feathered friends when food sources are scarce. It is also important to remember this much over looked fact, birds drink water ! And when there is snow on the ground or temperatures are below zero then this is not always easily accessible to them.

Bird Feeders

As the days started to gradually get colder and the growing season started to run out, we started to think about bugs and small animals. There is a great abundance of wildlife up at out allotment (with most of it living in my shed), we are blessed to have seen hares, grey squirrels, all of your common uk birds, frogs and we even arrived one day to chase a small flock of grey lag geese from our neighbours salad patch. We had planted some asian vegetables late end of summer and were unable to harvest it all. Our Choy sum had started to flower and was covered in bees and hover flies. As we weren’t going to have time to gain another crop from this space we decided that it would do the bees a world of good to have that extra source of food so we left it in the ground.

With little to no growing on our plot the focus has mainly turned into maintenaince and improving our structures. We gave the plot a good tidy 2 weeks ago and removed some of the rubbish that was accumulating in one of the corners. There was some offcuts of wood and various logs that were sodden and probbly no good for the fire but we didnt want to disturb them as it was probbly providing home to many wonderful beasts. It can happily sit there until next year when the weather starts to pick up and nature is back to its most energetic.

The simplest things we can do can mean the difference of survival or not for our winter wildlife.

While every allotment site will have many and varying rules, there is an unwritten code of good personal conduct that allotment owners should adhere too. Most of these are common sense and common decency, and being friendly and courteous to your fellow allotmenteers can have its own rewards.

Up at our allotments in Belfast, it is practically against the law not to give a wave to other allotment holders as you drive in and out. Stopping for a chat with you neighbors, talking about the weather, complaining about the council pathways and talking about how well Big Geoff’s cabbage is doing, while in your head enviously wondering how did he did it, is very common place. Us gardeners are a friendly bunch and are often more than not willing to give advice. When starting out on a new plot it can be invaluable to gain the advise of the people that have been working the land for some time. They may very well have information on your own plot, and can give you advice on the condition of the soil.

Here I am going to list some tips on good allotment etiquette, that I have learnt from my experience.

Weed Killer – This is obviously not going to apply to people who grow organically, but is often regarded to be one of the easiest ways to clear a new plot. When using weed killer it is important to make sure that the chemical is contained within your plot and your plot alone. Do not spray weed killer on a windy day as the spray will travel in the wind. If your allotment is on a slope be careful that the weed killing solution doesn’t run down the slope into another plot. It is common practice to use a separate watering can for use with weed killer and use it for that sole purpose only.

Strimming – Strimming is an excellent way of clearing an over grown plot, or tidying up the edges of pathways or around fences. The only drawback to the strimmer/brush cutter is that it isint selective what it slices and will tear through weeds, grasses and vegetables. This is something that we learnt the hard way, when the council strimmed our pathway and covered one of my raised beds with grass and weeds, which soon started to root in the favoring conditions. Due to the position of out plot we only have one adjoining plot and the fence is not great at the minute. What we do is hold up or attach a large piece of plastic while we strim to keep the cuttings on our own plot.

Invasive or Large Plants – Your are not going to make any friends on the allotment site if you arrive and start planting very large or invasive plants. A 15 foot palm tree blocking the sun is going to gain you the most sturnest of sideways looks. Plants such as bamboo, willows and fast growing conifers are always frowned upon and often banned from allotment sites.

Car Parking – This is an easy one, but its simply courteous, good etiquette and will save you time, and if you have mud on your boots will keep your car floor carpets clean. Leave enough space to allow other cars to pass on pathways. Also leave enough room for people to be able to push a wheelbarrow easily out of the gates and do not block the entrances to their own plots. Sometimes on a busy day you may have to park closely and this cannot be avoided. As im friendly with all my neighbors, we know each others cars, but if you don’t you could maybe leave a note on the dashboard saying where your plot it. When im at the allotment on my own, im always listening to music or a podcast, so I have my ear phones in. That’s why I always tell my neighbors to give me a wave if they need the car moved or throw something at me, which lucky they havnt yet.

Rubbish – No one likes a litter bug, take all rubbish home with you, or put it in bins or skips provided. We generally keep all our rubbish in a corner of our plot until there is enough to do a run to the dump. Also remember to take all cooked food home as this can attract vermin.

Bonfires – You will soon know if you are breaking the rules regarding bonfires, or if your fire is annoying or polluting other plot holders or local residents, be courteous and careful. Do not build a fire too large and keep any fuels used to start the fire in a suitable container at a safe distance from the fire. Its also important to make sure there is no wildlife living in the materials that we are looking to burn.

Water Taps – On warm days try not to hog the water taps, particularly if you see someone arriving after work or just making a quick run up to give the plants a drink. If your planning on hanging around for a while or are in no rush, then let them go before you. Also water is a precious commodity, and while we make every effort to only use rainwater stored in our waterbutts, sometimes we do have to use the water taps and we always make sure that the tap is closed off completely.

Trespassing – Stick to your own plot, unless you have a very good reason to be on someone else plot or you are invited, then you should not be on anyone elses plot !. So far the only reason I have had to enter another allotmenteers, plot was to remove a bird that became trapped in a fruit net.

These are just some of my observations so far and as time goes on I will keep adding to this list, because if there is one thing they cant say about me, its that I wasnt a gentleman lol…. happy growing and good allotment etiquette.

Theres no doubt about it but wheatgrass is a super food, and from what my health addict friends tell me not the cheapest ingredient around. I was asked to learn fast and get growing wheatgrass ASAP, so I did and here’s my guide.

Using wheatgrass fresh is apparently the best way to get the most from the product, instead of the dried powdered alternatives or pre packaged juices which ive been told are rather expensive. If you know me you will know that I am no health addict, and while I do enjoy growing food and produce for my friends I am writing this blog purely to show you how to grow wheatgrass, and defiantly now how to drink it, as well….. tbf it is bogging ! (Although if you read this and you have some good recipes or ways of using/ growing wheatgrass please feel free to email us and we will add a link or add your input into this blog info@growblogs.com)

Heres the science bit straight from wikipedia (Concentrate) – Wheatgrass is a good source of potassium, a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium, and has a negligible amount of protein (less than one gram per 28 grams).

Growing wheatgrass is easy and its a fast germinating plant, which makes it a fun and healthy way to grow with children. I purchased the wheatgrass seed from the internet and the first thing I did was to soak the seed in cool water over night for roughly 10 – 12 hours, to re-hydrate the seeds and get the germination underway.

Wheatgrass Seeds

I then drain the seeds into a colander and leave at an angle to drain the water, it is important at this stage to rinse the seeds and repeat the drainage process 3 – 4 times or until the seedling starts to grow a small tail. When the tails emerge then its time to transport the seeds to the growing medium.

I often find that the best medium for growing wheatgrass in is to use a seeding compost, although a multi purpose compost will work just aswell. I filled a tray to roughly 1 1’2” of potting compost and watered the soil in well. Then spread the germinated seeds evenly over the surface covering the entirety of the vessel you are growing in.

3 Days After Sowing

The seedlings do not like direct strong sunlight and for the first few days I placed them under dampened sheets of unbleached white paper. After a couple of days when the growth is able to lift the paper of the seeds themselves, then remove the paper and then slowly introduce the wheatgrass to a bit more sunlight.

After One Weeks Growth

Its important to keep the soil moist and I would suggest to water well in the mornings and then moisten the plants with a good spray in the evenings.

When the wheatgrass reaches the desired height roughly 6- 10 inches depending on the strength of the stocks height the easiest way to harvest is to snip with scissors along where the white meets green on the stalk. Once harvested you should continue to water the plants in the same routing and you should receive a second crop from the same seedlings. When finally complete recycle or compost the old soil and use a continual sowing technique if you plan to make wheatgrass a staple of your diet.

Your body is a temple ! And when your running around in the prime of your life with the theme tune to Rocky in your ears feeling amazing, don’t forget about your friends at Growblogs who showed you the way of Wheatgrass !

One of if not the most popular vegetable grown and consumed throughout Ireland and the UK. The unofficial National Vegetable of Ireland and the star of dishes stretching from chip vans to fine dining restaurants.

Whilst some people ask “why bother growing potatoes” when they are so readily available and inexpensive. True, they do take up a fair bit of room when planted, but it is possible to grow them, successful in containers and pots. Last year we were only working half the plot so we planted a large crop of spuds as they are really good at breaking up the ground with their roots leaving the ground good for the following years planting. Also growing your own, means that you get to choose what characteristics you want from your potato, either a delicious waxy first early salad potato like the Arran Pilot or a main crop roasting potato like the Golden Wonder or Kerrs Pink.

Potato Drills

The easiest way to grow your own potatoes is to purchase bags of seed potatoes. These seed potatoes are grown specifically to be virus resistant. Different variety’s of potatoes develop at different stages of the growing season. All of the variety’s of potatoes will go into the ground on the same day, traditionally on St Patricks Day on the emerald isle but this year as it falls on a Thursday it will be the weekend before or after.

First Earlies – On a typical growing season it usually takes around 10 – 12 weeks from planting to harvesting, and often when the plants stop flowering is a good indicator that the crop is ready. Popular UK variety’s of first earlies include Arran Pilot, Pentland Javelin which is what we have chosen to plant this year, or Duke of York which is a great all round new potato.

Pentland javelline

Second Earlies – Again on a typical growing season second earlier will usually take between 13 – 15 weeks from planting to harvesting. First and Second early crops grow well in containers or pots and this is the approach we are going for this year as we still have a few structures to go into our plot. It also means that we can move them about when needed and we can try and cram them in every available spot. Popular second early variety’s include, Charlotte which is the variety we have chosen as we had great success with the previous year, Kestrel and Ratte.

Charlotte Potatoes

Maincrops – Maincrop potatoes prefer being grown directly into the ground. They will need more space and the tubers often grow much larger then early variety’s. These are normally ready to harvest around 20 weeks after planting, Some of the more popular variety s include, Maris Piper which we will be purchasing in the near future, King Edward and Desiree.

Chitting – About 5 – 6 weeks before I plan to plant out my spuds im going to start the chitting process. This basically means standing the potatoes on their end with any eyes facing upwards on a tray, or anything that will keep them elevated and dry egg, boxes and seed trays are often used for this purpose. The chitting potatoes need to be left in a dry well lit and cool area, windowsills are ideal. Some people suggest that chitting doesnt benefit the growing process, but were going to do it anyway as nothing says Spring is coming that a windowsill full of seed potatoes.

When we come to planting our own potatoes were going to show you how to prepare the ground and look at some differing techniques for growing your spuds and how to care for them along the way.

Well its a new year and the boys at Growblogs are as busy as ever allotment planning. Thats why, January is going to be nice and cosy as we reach for the note pads, seed catalogues and laptops for a good read of everyone else’s plans, before settling on our own. With the days still being short, and the weather hampering all of the work we had planned over the Christmas holidays, were slightly behind with the restructuring of the plot. We had hoped to have had the rest of the raised beds in place, and had the whole plot dug over ready for the frost to get in and kill all the weeds. But with the rain and storms we have had recently, I have barely spent more than one afternoon digging. Weekends in January are going to be scarce because of weekend work commitments, so that’s why were going to make a realistic plan of everything we want to achieve, so that we can make the most of the time we get up to the plot.

When it comes to allotment planning, I always whizz up a simple diagram of the plot that I am working with containing measurements of the raised beds, so that I can plan where and what I want to plant in them. The visual diagrams will help with our allotment planning and assist us to successfully monitor crop rotation aswell as helping us to take advantage of companion planting. We will also be able to work out what is the maximum number of plants that we can happily fit into each bed without over crowding, while achieving maximum yield.

Plot map

I’ve been deciding what variety of seeds to sow this year, pretty much since the end of the last growing season, and have been purchasing them throughout the winter, when I see them discounted or on offer. Allotment planning and the purchasing of seed it an exciting time of year and it can be easy to get carried away, especially when you don’t have too large of a growing space. My seed box is starting to get a bit full and I know that some of the seeds will be past their best by next growing season so I need to plan what I need to keep for this season, and next. The rest of the seed I normally share among my friends (who are starting to turn green fingered themselves) or other people at the allotment. Its a great conversation starter to people you don’t know and always handy when you hear someones else kettle whistling and you’ve forgotten your flask.

Our seed box

A few weeks back Conor and myself decided to take a walk round the whole allotment site, just really because we have never seen it all and its a great way to pick up tips and ideas. We got chatting to one of the allotment holders and he then introduced us to two other plot holders. After the usual talking about the weather and what they were growing and complaining about the council, one of the gents let slip that he was the current holder of plot of the year. He then explained that the last time they held the competition was 8 years ago and that they used to have events and fundraisers quite often, but that it had all just fizzled out. This is something that I feel the young(ish) blood of Growblogs could rectify. We will be discussing this in great detail and our next directors meeting, which is scheduled for 1st January 2016, Pub yet to be confirmed.

We would both like to wish you all a Very Happy New Year.

“Live Long and prosper” Spock .

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Welcome To Grow Blogs

Hello & welcome to Grow Blogs! Let our site be your little allotment resource in the cloud where you'll find great information on growing your own fruit and vegetables. You'll hear of our own misadventures, successes and failures on plot 8b.

If you're a new gardener or a seasoned hand in the allotment, we hope you'll find something of interest. We love to hear from all our readers, so please leave a message on a post or visit our Facebook and twitter pages.

We hope through our own experiences we can show you what works and what doesn't on an allotment.

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